Green Smoothie Liver Tonic (Dandelion, Beets (root and leaves), Lemon, Apple and Ginger)

Come this time of year, I feel my body say, it’s time to cleanse so I can feel rejuvenated. This is a very powerful blend so start out using a small amount of beets. They are great and make one of the best tonics for the liver. The liver is the largest gland in the human body and is responsible for producing bile, metabolizing, and performing several other functions that keep us in good health. A healthy liver benefits all parts of the body. Without a properly functioning liver, the body can’t function at peak capacity.

Beets

Beets are a two-in-one vegetable as you can enjoy both their roots and leaves. Studies show that beets protect liver cells from harmful chemicals with the compounds betacyanin, a red pigment found in red beets and betaxanthin, a yellow pigment found in yellow beets. Both of these pigments can provide powerful antioxidant protection. Beets are rich in folate, a water soluble B vitamin important for a healthy heart and essential for normal tissue growth. The red pigment in beets raises antioxidant enzyme levels in the liver and may promote detoxification in the intestines, blood and liver.

Beet greens are delicious and are rich in vitamins and minerals as well as beta-carotene and lutein. They have almost twice the potassium of the beet root and contain high levels of folic acid, which can help ward off certain birth defects and lung cancer.

Dandelion

Dandelion has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as a powerful liver tonic. Dandelion is said to enhance the flow of bile in your body, improving the function of your liver, and remedy liver conditions such as hepatitis, gallstones, and jaundice. A daily cup of dandelion tea is recommended for anyone who feels run-down, sluggish, and over-stressed. Dandelion greens are also an incredibly healthy food — chock full of vitamin C, higher in beta-carotene than carrots and richer in iron and calcium content than spinach.

Live Tonic Green Smoothie Recipe

• ½ small beet (juiced)
  *you can blend the beet in your blender, if your blender has a powerful motor
• 3 to 4 beet green leaves
• 3 to 4 dandelion leaves
• ¼ to ½ lemon
• 2 apples
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 1 cup water

Blend and enjoy!
Tracy

Interview with Caroline Dupont

By Shannon Leone

I MET CAROLINE MARIE DUPONT at a Raw Festival 3 years ago and was instantly inspired by her beauty and grace.  She has been 100% raw, and has settled into a regime of high-raw that feels peaceful.  Her raw diet is balanced by a dedication to her inner life.  She has learned to attune to her emotions which are so tied to our eating, and now she teaches others to do the same.  Otherwise, she admits, most people will not succeed on a high-raw path without this inner work.  Caroline is the mother of 2 children, both university students and elite athletes, raised as vegetarians from birth. She is a holistic nutritionist, meditation and yoga teacher and author of the book Enlightened Eating and the soon-to-be released DVD by the same name, as well as 3 meditation CDs. In addition to her private practice and lecture schedule, she teaches for the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. See www.carolinedupont.com

Caroline’s recipe book is great for everyone because it is balanced with raw and nutritious cooked recipes.  I was happy to give a testimony and have shared this book with my grateful clients.

Here are some of the sections that you will find in Enlightened Eating:

• Nutritional Guidelines That Apply to Everyone
• Digestion: Differentiating Diet and Nutrition
• Supplementing a Whole Foods Diet
• Detoxification
• Vegetarianism
• Living Foods
• Enlightened Eating: A Self-Realization Diet
• Making Changes: Practical Advice on How to Start
• Dietary Transitions
• Stocking Your kitchen
• Meal Ideas
• Sample Menus
• 200 Recipes (half are raw)

What others have to say:

This is more than a cookbook, or a collection of amazing recipes with thought provoking quotes. It’s a loving, inspiring gift. Caroline’s spirit shines through on every page. -Sandra Entwistle

Her practical approach to vegetarian and raw food is contagious and her recipes can be easily replicated – no fuss required! -Evelyne Gharibian

It contains healthy cooked and raw food choices, which distinguishes it from nearly any other recipe book out there. -Shannon Leone

The sincere and absolute commitment she has to being an example of aliveness and total health is an inspiration to us all. -Jill Hewlett

Here are 2 of my favourite winter recipes featured in ENLIGHTENED EATING:

EARTH BOWL

This is a versatile and satisfying winter breakfast or light lunch or dinner. So simply but it works!

1 apple or pear, cubed directly into a good sized soup bowl

2 celery stalks, cubed and placed in the same bowl

couple TBS dried fruit (raisins, chopped apricots, figs, cranberries, dried blueberries, etc.)

chopped nuts or seeds to taste (walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, etc.)

juice (from an orange)

Great Earth Bowls I have loved:

• apple – celery – walnut – raisins – apple juice
• apple – celery – pecan – chopped apricots – orange juice
• pear – celery – pecan – fig – cherry juice concentrate (diluted)
• pear – celery – almond – cranberries – apple juice

CABBAGE DELIGHT

This salad is basic fare but very special in its own right, and has become one of my personal favourite raw salad meals.  It can be made with winter vegetables that most of us have on hand all the time. Serves 4 to 6. Notice the six flavours that make up a satisfying combination.   Sweet:  carrot, honey, apple, currants.  Sour:  apple, vinegar.  Salt: celery, Celtic sea salt, cheese.  Bitter:  broccoli, cabbage, parsley.  Astringent:  apple, broccoli, cabbage, walnuts. Pungent:  onion, cabbage.

2 Tbs apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 Tbs olive oil

1 1/2 Tbs hemp or flax oil

1 Tbs honey

1 -2 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp ground fennel

2 cups green cabbage or broccoli, chopped medium fine

3/4 cup red cabbage

1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped fine

1 rib celery, sliced fine

1 carrot, quartered lengthwise and sliced

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 apple, cored and diced small

1/2 cup currants or raisins

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped, or 3 Tbs pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup raw cheese, diced small (optional)

Combine dressing ingredients in the bottom of a large salad bowl.  Add vegetables and toss to combine.  Keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRST EXPERIENCE OF HEARING ABOUT RAW, AND WHO INSPIRED YOU AND HOW RAW DID YOU GO?

I first heard about raw when I started studying nutrition 20 years ago. I was immediately drawn to vegetarianism and along the way came across a book by Ann Wigmore which had some of the first raw recipes that I tried (aside from the usual salads and fruit). I was very inspired by the living food principles. However, at the time I had just become a vegetarian, was a new mother to 2 little ones and for me it was quite a stretch to raise my children without meat and dairy and eggs (remember this was 1990) let alone cooked food. And so although I was impressed enough to include alot of raw in our diets it felt most comfortable to also include cooked grains, legumes and vegetables, as well as high quality dairy products. Later, as my kids got older and I adjusted to a plant-based diet, I started including mroe and more raw. Although I have gone over 6 months on 100% raw, today, I eat anywhere from 60 – 100% raw. I tend to listen to my body rather than impose a particular percentage. In addition to loads of living food, I enjoy steamed vegetables and gluten free grains like brown rice, millet and quinoa. Occasionally I crave legumes in the form of dahl or in a soup. I am committed to doing my emotional work through a disciplined spiritual practice and can easily say that I feel more balanced, and am more content with my eating choices, than ever.than ever as a result.

YOU ALREADY GAVE ME 2 OF YOUR FAVE RECIPES…ANY MORE? (I know I’m greedy! Haha)

Lately I’ve been making alot of cultured vegetables, both the traditional way in a crock pot and also the ‘quick’ way as outlined in Donna Gate’s Book The Body Ecology Diet. One of my favorite simple salads is mixing a cubed avocado with a cup or so of cultured veggies, plus sunflower sprouts. Tonight I mashed shredded kale into the avocado and then added the cultured veggies, some halved cherry tomatoes and some sliced red pepper. Yum! I had a side of steamed Brussels spouts wth this and Mineral Broth with miso. Another recent favourite is Cacaochia Pudding. Make almond milk, using 1 cup of soaked almonds to 4 cups of water, and add cacao or carob to the blender as well as 6 fresh pitted dates and honey or agave to taste. Blend and strain. For one cup of almond milk add 3 Tbs Salba (chia seeds) and let sit for 1/2 hour in a bowl. Voila – it’s like tapioca except that it’s completely raw and so satisfying.

WHAT TRICKS OR TIPS DO YOU HAVE FOR MOMS TRYING TO GET THEIR KIDS TO EAT MORE RAW?

My kids are now both away but when they were home I would always cut up fruit for breakfast (sometimes that was enough, other times they would want toast or cereal as well). In their lunches in addition to the ‘main course’ which was often primarily cooked (soup, stew, rice and bean salad, sandwich, healthy pizza), there was always an apple, a container of raw veggies, and a container of raw fruit (grapes, pineapple, pomegranate seeds, melon, etc.). When they got home from school, again I would make plates of raw veggies, fruit and nuts for them to snack on. Nut butters are great to dip the fruit or veggies into. Of course hummus or baba ganouj  are great raw veggie enticers. Fresh juice, citrus or vegetable, is also a favorite of my children’s and I always add a little apple and lemon so that they really enjoy it. Also, green smoothies of course are a great to way to pack a lot of raw goodness into them. So spinach, kale, pear, banana, juice, blueberries, spirulina or wheatgrass powder, ground chia seed are the ingredients of a typical smoothie.

ANY ADVICE FOR WIVES TRYING TO ENTICE THEIR MEN TO GO RAW?

All of the things that I mentioned in the last answer would be great for husbands. Mostly, I think it’s important to enjoy what you’re doing and let the rest of the family come along at their own pace.

A RAW BEAUTY SECRET OF YOURS?

There’s nothing like regular fresh pressed green juice to brighten up and clear the complexion. Also avoiding dairy, flour products, coffee and alcohol. I don’t drink coffee or alcohol but if I have the rare dairy product - (depending how much and  what type – I do enjoy raw goat or sheep cheese occasionally) or flour products, I notice it on my face the next day as pastiness and fatigue.

HOW MUCH SLEEP DO YOU GET, FROM WHAT TIME TO WHAT TIME?

I tend to get 7 to 8 hours sleep every night. I like to go to bed before 10 and get up around 6. I also nap for 12 minutes every afternoon. I don’t time it, it just happens - I love my naps and feel quite refreshed after!

HOW MUCH WATER DO YOU DRINK DAILY?

I drink 4 glasses of water or so plus a few cups of herbal tea, plus a fresh juice, and maybe a cup of mineral broth (which I make by boiling ‘older’ vegetables in water for a couple of hours and then draining.

WHAT IS A TYPICAL BREAKFAST LIKE FOR YOU, AND AT WHAT TIME?

I might eat my first food anywhere form 9 to 11 in the morning. It’s almost always fruit. Today it was a glass of fresh orange juice and later a cut up grapefruit. I eat the Earth Bowl every few days or so as well. Sometimes when I want something hardier, I eat Buckwheat Grawnola (the recipe is in my book). Often, I will make a green smoothie for a little later in the morning.

HOW LATE IN THE EVENING DO YOU FEEL IS OK TO EAT?

I sleep best when I stop eating a few hours before I go to sleep. It doesn’t always work out that way but that’s what I try to do. Sometimes I crave something sweet in the evening so I might add honey to my tea, or make almond chai,

WHO DO YOU ADMIRE MOST OR ARE INSPIRED BY MOST IN THE RAW MOVEMENT TODAY?

I admire Victoria Boutenko for her sincerity and Gabriel Cousens for his spiritual depth.

WOULD YOU CARE TO SHARE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR SPIRITUAL PRACTICE?

Thanks for asking about that, Shannon – it is a cherished part of my days. If I’m know I’m not taking a yoga class that day, I will do a yin-style (postures held for a long time with a meditative attitude) practice first thing in the morning lately while listening to recordings of Adyashanti, an important spiritual teacher of mine. I follow that with 30 to 45 minutes of meditation. I walk in nature 4 or so times/week and I consider this to be part of my spiritual practice. Singing/chanting with my guitar often works its way into my day as well.  I usually meditate again in the late afternoon or early evening. When my kids were home I would send them off to school and then do my practice before going to work myself. I would often meditate in the car while waiting for them at their various activities. Where there’s a will there’s a way!

UPCOMING PROJECTS?

Besides my book and meditation CDs, I am just about to release my first DVD ‘Enlightened Eating – Easy Eating for the Body, Spirit and Planet’ This is a very personal project, shot in my home with the collaboration of family and friends  that highlights my holistic approach to nutrition that has evolved over the past 20 years of living, teaching and loving the natural lifestyle. Also I’ve recently started offering Silent Retreats which I’ve found so valuable for my own deepening. In the early summer I’ll be offering a Silent Retreat and Cleanse which will include a lot of raw food. Food and silence are such a powerful combination!

WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LOVE TO TELL RAW MOMS?

In my journeys, I have met many raw food experts and advocates, as well a people who aspire to adopt this lifestyle for various reasons, and have attended and lectured at raw food events. I have taught dozens of raw food preparation classes in my home. So all of this is to say that I love my vegetarian and mostly raw food diet.  But I do not recommend people go too fast when transitioning to a raw food diet.  I should also add that, although I don’t like to speak in terms of ‘percentages’, I am currently 60 to 100% raw on any given day. At one point I maintained 100% raw for seven months and for a couple of years was 90% raw. I’ve been a vegetarian for 20 years.

All foods are made up of energy of varying levels of vibration. The lower vibration foods would be processed foods, foods that contain chemicals, foods that contain elements of human or animal suffering, or that damage the planet in their production. The highest vibration foods are unprocessed, raw in many cases, whole, organic, locally grown, prepared and eaten with love and gratitude. If we have been used to eating low vibration foods (which the vast majority of people have) and switch too rapidly to a high vibration diet (say 100% raw) we are in for some intense physical and emotional detoxification to the extent that it can do more harm than good, and set us back in our soul growth.

Here’s why: emotions also hold a vibration in our bodies. We all store emotional imprints in our bodies from the multitude of experiences we have encountered since birth and absorbed on our journeys. These emotional imprints can be seen and felt as dense pockets of energy in the human energy field. If we adopt a high frequency diet too quickly the lightness in the body causes the dense emotions to rise to the surface into our awareness, through diffusion, at a pace that can be beyond our current ability to deal with. Also, it’s pretty clear that most people’s dietary choices come from an emotional place rather than true need. On adopting a raw foods diet, many, if not most of our food-based emotional crutches have been taken away. How will we now deal with these emotions? Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful process to unearth old emotions, to move through them and let them go, in the process revealing more and more of our shining authentic beauty. But, for most it takes time, and by that I mean years, to develop the grounding, the spiritual practice and the emotional stamina to both maintain a very high vibration diet and stay balanced.

When I work with clients my recommendation is to start with 30 to 50% raw and gradually increase, while developing a steady daily meditation and spiritual practice. I encourage them to let their level of balance and joy be the gauge. Rather than imposing a certain amount of raw on ourselves or our children, we can let the process be fluid and joyful. Our bodies will surely tell us when to increase raw foods, and also when we need more cooked or dense food because we may be going through particularly accelerated spiritual growth which always includes emotional letting go. We need to give our children this same trust in their body’s ability to choose appropriate and health supporting-foods.

A few other things I’d like to mention …

• A living food and vegetarian diet makes us far more sensitive to surrounding energies which is why many raw foodists seem to live in the country. If you live in the city this needs to be considered. Again, it takes time to strengthen the energy field through spiritual practice to be able to withstand the effects or artificial lighting, electricity, radiation, traffic, noise, etc.
• I love eating primarily local foods and one of the reasons I eat less raw in the winter is that it doesn’t feel right to consume so much imported, unripe, irradiated foods.
• Raw vegetables can be hard to digest for many people. In that case steamed vegetables and gluten free grains are a wonderful choice.
• Given the questionable quality of many foods nowadays, even organic, I think it’s wise to give children some denser cooked foods to help them to feel grounded and satisfied.

Our food choices are supporting the soul on this incredible journey called life … may we trust and let joy be our guide!

When Our Kids Won't Eat Right (Part One)

By Shannon Leone

As moms, nothing seems to tug on our heart-strings, or simply irk us more than when our kids won’t eat the nutritious food we are trying to get into them!  As a RAW MOM, I think it is even harder for us because we are so well-educated in the importance of good nutrition and feel completely at loose ends if our kids eat less than healthy choices.  I was always very into making sure my kids ‘ate healthy’.  But when we all went raw, I realised the rice and steamed asparagus or broccoli actually wasn’t as healthy as I had thought. It was a finer distinction.  Everything went to another level- a whole other level!  And I KNOW you moms feel the pressure just as I did to give your young family the best start possible in life.  And we know for the most part, that means RAW.

My family and I sat down together the other night to watch a video called THE 11^TH HOUR.  It showcased everything that is wrong with our world today- chemical pollution in our air, water, and land (they didn’t even touch on our FOOD!) the extinction of thousands of species per year, the climate change crisis, top-soil erosion, deforestation, corporate greed, etc etc.  It was an eye opener especially for those who may not already realise these things.  My children and husband were quite moved and were very thoughtful after.  I realised if people would just GO RAW, soooooooooooo much of these problems would effortlessly, naturally reverse.  I told my kids that just the methane gas from the cows farts (sorry, is there a technical name?) that are raised for meat are contributing to global warming, and if people just went vegetarian…And they GOT THAT!  They saw the connection.  I went further (the grosser, the better the boys liked it) and I mentioned the excrement produced by this livestock has no sewage system in place and the toxic waste goes into the water bed and eventually ends up in human drinking water supply. They just couldn’t believe that human waste isn’t allowed to be dumped into the environment like the billion tons of feedlot waste is.

Cooking is a major reason for deforestation. In Africa, for example, the tropical forests are being cut and cleared for cooking wood. This is happening on nearly every continent.

Then we talked about the packaging and disposal crisis, the landfills, the plastic containers that make their way into the oceans.  Those juice-boxes all their friends use in school at lunch are used for 5 minutes then last practically FOREVER as garbage. When one eats raw food, these things all become non-issues to a great extent.

I know it is true that some of the raw foodists in our community talk in ways that turn off the masses i.e. ‘COOKED FOOD IS POISON’ or ‘YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT’.  I realise people are turned-off when their choices to eat meat or junk food are questioned or under scrutiny.  It is also clear that for the majority of people who are so numbed-out from a lifetime of stress, emotional dysfunction,  lack of support or resources and even mis-education about how to actually be healthy, that going high-raw just isn’t doable, especially right off the bat.  But still, I am convinced that whoever has the awareness, the clarity to see through all the confusion and destruction, and can go raw will benefit and contribute to the solution instead of the problem.

Moms write in all the time asking me how to deal with ‘picky eaters’, or husbands who are sabotaging there efforts, or even their own cravings.  (I am addressing all this and more in my upcoming book RAW MOM/COOKED DAD) There really is no easy answer.  No quick fix.  For me, it comes down to ‘What is your level of commitment?’ and also, to EDUCATE yourself and your family so THEY can see with THEIR OWN EYES how their choices will affect them, their future, and their planet, everything they care about.

When they are really small, under 5, I kept it light and matter-of-factly with my kids and food: this is how we do it was my attitude. They through the powers of their strong imitative force, perhaps noticed others eating differently, like relatives and friends, but they followed mommy. When they needed more, I included them in the things I was constantly learning.  I would show them videos, read them snippets from articles, ask them why they think their friends got sick, etc.  In short, I got them thinking.  Now, they make up their own conclusions about things.  After the movie they said, “Mom, we don’t need anymore toys- well… not until next Christmas” responding to what must have hit them hard in the movie about all the consumerism.  They both declared eating animals was something they felt was very wrong and when they were old enough they would be vegetarians or vegans (right now I insist on a little raw dairy sporadically and some fish a few times per year as of last year due to one of my son losing so much weight and developing very dry skin that even all the EFA’s he was getting in his raw diet- flax ground, hemp seeds, almond mylk, avocados, coconut butter in green smoothies, durian, and green juices etc- didn’t seem to help- yet within weeks of one glass of raw milk a day his skin was all better)  they also declared they would live on a piece of land in the country where they could go even 100% raw without all the temptation and distraction they face in the city. (Before this movie they used to always say that when they grew up they would STAY 80% and NO MORE! Lol!)

Life is process, a journey.  Nothing stays the same.  Your kids will move in and out of phases and conditions.  Do your best.  Do what you can.  Do what you want.  Do what feels right.  Determine your own level of commitment, and then act accordingly.  No guilt, fear, or shame.  And no pressure to do more!  Next month may be different.  Or next year.  Just keep moving in the direction that inspires and uplifts you.  Make compromises when necessary.  Record favourite raw recipes that work and you keep making those, and steadily build on them.  Keep coming back here for support and information, and honour yourself for being an incredible mom for doing all this!

You are making progress, even if it is only internally at first.  First the roots, then the fruits. I’ll give some concrete suggestions and ideas in an upcoming post that may be very helpful.  But in the meantime, cultivate your mindset.  Be proud of what YOU are doing.  Appreciate and radiate gratitude for even knowing about the power of RAW and for having the CHOICE of raw and being a PIONEER for the sake of your family.  You are beautiful, Mom! xo Shannon

Garlic Paste – Fast and Savory Green Smoothies!

This is an excellent way to add garlic to savoury green smoothies. It is also an excellent substitute for cream or butter to go with steamed potatoes! It is great having a jar of this one hand in the fridge for all sorts of dishes and snacks, and it keeps for ages. Well, if it isn’t eaten first, that is!

Garlic Paste Recipe

• 1 cup garlic cloves
• 4 cups olive oil
• 1 cup water (or to desired consistency)
• 2-3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp citric acid.

Blend garlic and salt in food processor until smooth.Gradually add oil and water. Continue blending.When mixture is smooth, add citric acid and blend well.

Store in glass jar in fridge.

Enjoy!

Blessings,
Veronica

Protected: The 90 Day Deep Tissue Detox

Vital Vittle of the Week: Garlic

The Vital Vittle

By Maureen Lauder

Food of the Week:  Garlic

Oh, marvelous garlic!  Could anything make a dish so tasty so quickly?  I think not.

In addition to being yum yum yummy, garlic provides a host of health benefits:

• It’s high in manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and selenium and packs quite an antioxidant wallop. Regular consumption of garlic makes a significant dent in the free radicals present in blood.

• Garlic also wields HUGE cardiovascular benefits. It reduces blood pressure, inhibits the growth of atherosclerotic plaque, reduces cholesterol, and prevents damage to blood vessel walls.

• Garlic acts as an anti-inflammatory, helping to alleviate both asthma and arthritis symptoms.

• Garlic also works as an antibacterial and antiviral agent. Garlic can not only reduce the damage caused by infections, but it also serves as a powerful weapon against the common cold.

• And, as an added bonus, the selenium in garlic helps prevent cancer and protects the body against heavy metal toxicity.

• (And, of course, we mustn’t forget garlic’s well-known vampire-repelling properties.)

If raw garlic is a bit too strong for you, then you’re in luck.   Studies suggest the health benefits of garlic are activated by chopping or crushing, which stimulates the conversion of one of garlic’s beneficial phytonutrients to a form used by the body.  Overcooking will inhibit most phytonutrient activity…but lightly cooked (not microwaved) crushed garlic is still super-healthy.

There are plenty of ways to add garlic into your diet, since a lot of dishes taste better with a hint of garlic.  One great way is to use garlic in your salad dressings, as in the recipe below (borrowed from Living on Live Food by Alissa Cohen).  This is, bar none, the best salad dressing ever.

French Dressing

¼ cup flax oil

2 t apple cider vinegar

1 clove garlic

¼ t ground yellow mustard seed

¼ t paprika

¼ t pepper

½ t sea salt

Blend ingredients and serve.  This doesn’t make a lot, so feel free to double, triple, or quadruple the recipe as needed.

Passion Fruit

By Angela Elliot

I am passionate about Passion Fruit!  Years ago for my Birthday, I received a magical passion fruit vine with fruit on it and from that day forward, I was hooked. Imagine my delight when I first saw the flowers.  Ooh, are they are GORGEOUS! Here’s a picture of a passion flower, so you can see what I am talking about.

So not only are the flowers gorgeous, the fruit they produce is DIVINE. There’s this amazing sexy juice inside along with seeds and you just cut open one end and spoon it out. This is the fruit of the Gods and Goddesses for sure.

What does the amazing fruit look like?

Some look like this depending on the variety, there are two varieties of Passion Fruit, they may look different, but they taste about the same.

Why get excited and passionate about Passion Fruit?

Because the passion fruit contains potassium, phosphorus, calcium, vitamin C, flavonoids, antioxidants, and water!

What can I do with it besides just eat it with a spoon?

Use the juice to flavor drinks, fruit soups, dessert creams and custards.

How do I pick one out?

Go to the Farmer’s Market and select fruit that is heavy for its size, large, and plump. When ripe, it is fragrant with a shriveled, wrinkled shell that is rich in color.

What if I want to grow it like Angela does?

Here’s a neat site that tells you how to do just that!  

Please let me know if you try it. I hope you get as passionate about passion fruit as I am.

Eli Lilly Pleads GUILTY: Zyprexa Is Going DOWN!

If there is ONE THING that makes this redhead reputation of mine flare up into action it is the inhumane practice of psychiatrists dishing out drugs like candy. (Offering “help” with a knife behind their backs!)

There is good news in the world today, because the hammer came down on Eli Lilly and with a $1.42 billion dollar price tag attached to it. OUCH! Unfortunately, as FOX News reporter Douglas Kennedy reminds us, the $60+ billion they pulled in recently makes 1.42 look like a traffic ticket.

But I’ll still take the win and celebrate a victory for the good guys! A few more people will be taking the mask off their eyes about the dangers of psychiatric drugs and that means we’re just that much better to creating a civilization worth . I’ve ordered 100 copies of a DVD that shook me up recently, and as soon as it arrives, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, watch this:

Lilly Goes DOWN! But $1.42 still ain’t enough to cover the lives that have been ruined and the kids they kill.

Grrr…

Sending sunny thoughts anyway!

Tera

SHAZZIE’S BIRTHDAY BONANZA GIVE-AWAY, and BRIGITTE MARS

By Shannon Leone

Ok kids, today is going to be pure fun because you are going to get some AMAZING raw recipes!  I am IN LOVE with Shazzie’s new book, EVIE’S KITCHEN as you already know, and several of you have written me personally to tell me that you just HAD TO HAVE IT and are loving it too!  I tried several of her recipes and I have to say they are all FANTASTIC because they are sooo EASY-PEASY and yet delicious!  First I made JOE’S FAKE BEANS that she gave us all in her interview (see pic).  I really like it and will definitely make it again.  It took no time at all to make.  Then I made her NECTARINE PORRIDGE only I used ripe pears instead to a great result COMBINED with her SALBIOCA- I just knew my kids who don’t usually like CHIA much would go for it if I combined these two recipes together, and it worked! All I did was take about1/2 cup of CHIA seeds and blend into a fine powder, then add 2 ripe pears, and 1 cup of water with a drop of agave (you could use raisins instead) and blend until creamy then I added a couple dried apricots chopped up and some more pear slices and a handful of more chia seeds, let the whole thing set and sprinkled in some cinnamon and cardamon- YUMMY!   I also made her BUTTERNUT TORILLA out of dehydrated seasoned butternut squash- it is awesome served up with fresh guacamole or just plain avocados and tomatoes, what a wonderful tasting and healthy bread/cracker/tortilla! So clever.

As you know from the interview, Shazzie is turning 40 at the end of the month, and to celebrate, she is GIVING AWAY a TON of FREE GIFTS that YOU will love to receive!  She asked a few of her friends to help her and so we all pitched-in with gleeeeee!  Go to http://shazzie.com/40.shtml and GET YOURS NOW.

Next, I am delighted to share about a woman who is a Master Herbalist and author, Brigitte Mars.

Here is an excerpt from her book RAWSOME including some wonderful recipes (she was soooo generous!) that you will want to make tonight.  I interviewed her too and will be sharing more of her amazing insights in an upcoming post, but for now, you can check her out at brigittemars.com. What a WEALTH of experience and wisdom she embodies…Enjoy!

EATING RAW WITH FAMILY

By Brigitte Mars
You might be ready for the raw life, but perhaps not everyone in your family is. When you begin, ask your family members for—and thank them for—their support. Let them know that you are not expecting them to join you in your new diet, but you look forward to having more raw foods available at meals, so that you all can still eat together. If raw is a new thing in the household, slowly increase the amount of raw food on the table. Serve salad before anything cooked. Find out what kind of foods family members enjoy, and make raw versions of them.

Most important, let go of the need to change others. You will impress people more with your health and vitality than you ever will with preaching. Be a living example of what you represent.

Living Raw with Children

Children can enjoy a raw foods diet from the moment of birth. Breast milk is, after all, the supreme raw food. It is safe, fresh, free of contamination, and always the right temperature, and it comes in lovely containers! Breast milk is ideal for first six months to one year of age. The World Health Organization is currently encouraging women to nurse for at least two years. AND MANY MOTHERS ARE EVEN NURSING LONGER.

Diluted carrot juice can be introduced between four and six months of age. After six months, diluted non citrus fruit juices can be given on occasion. For nursing babies, limit juice intake to three to four ounces daily, so they focus on breast milk. Green vegetable drinks can be given between six to nine months of age; they can be mixed with apple or carrot and diluted 50 percent with water. Nut and seed milks can be introduced around eight months. Smoothies can be given from age nine months and up. Coconut water is excellent AFTER SIX MONTHS. Citrus fruits and juices can be given when the child is at least one year of age.

Solid foods can be started around six months, when the baby is able to hold its head up on is own or has doubled his or her birth weight. A blender or grinder can be used to mash up suitable baby fare. It is wisest to introduce only one new food a week. Try mixing a bit of the new food with a food the child is already familiar with. Bananas are an ideal first food. Other excellent raw blended baby foods include:

*Apple
*Apricot
*Avocado
*Berries
*Cherimoya
*Cherry
*Green beans
*Mango
*Melon
*Papaya
*Peaches
*Pear
*Peas
*Plum
*Sapodilla
*Sapote
*Spinach
*Sweet potatoes
*Winter squash
*Yellow squash
*Zucchini
If any of these foods need to be sweetened, mix them with soaked raisins or dates. Blend fresh young coconut meat with dates AS A DELICIOUS NOURISHING FOOD.

When the child reaches toddlerhood, he or she will appreciate solid finger food BUT MUST ALWAYS BE SUPERVISED AS BABIES CAN CHOKE EASILY. Good finger foods include:
( note: PEELING CAN HELP PREVENT CHOKING)
Peeled apple
Peeled peach
Peeled pear
Plum
Mango
Banana
Melon
Berries
Summer squash

Spirulina can be given in small amounts, about 1/4 teaspoon daily, starting around two years old.Do not give honey to babies under 2 years of age, as there is a slight danger of botulism. Children over the age of two will not be susceptible to it. Use soaked date, apricots or fig for sweetening, if needed. Better yet is to offer unsweetened foods that are naturally delicious.

At about what age can a child eat whatever an adult can? WHEN CHILDREN HAVE ADEQUATE TEETH TO CHEW AND AN INTEREST IN FOOD, THEY CAN JOIN IN WHAT THE ADULTS ARE HEALTHFULLY EATING.  One way to encourage your child to eat more vegetables is to serve them with a tasty dip for them. Tahini, which is made from ground sesame seeds, is rich in protein and calcium, tastes pleasant, and makes a good vegetable dip. Ground sunflower and pumpkin seeds are rich in the mineral zinc and are excellent for kids that are slow to grow. Sea vegetables are a great source of minerals for developing bones. Use kelp or dulse in dressings and as seasonings.

If your child is a picky eater, ask him or her for suggestions. Rather than announcing that broccoli is on the dinner menu, try asking the child if he or she would rather have broccoli or zucchini, and honour his or her preference. If your child is quick to assert that they hate broccoli, remind them that they might have disliked it when they were four (for example), and now that they are six, and much bigger, they might find that they like it now. Children appreciate the opportunity to show their maturity.

Invite young ones into the kitchen to help with a meal. Even simple techniques like stirring, pouring or decorating can give a child a sense of having contributed to the family’s meal.

Humour! Delight your kids by making food in shapes such as their initials, hearts or flowers. Use raisins, nuts or sliced fruit to design a happy face or mandala on a salad, bowl of sprouted cereal, or even an open faced sprouted almond butter sandwich.

Give kids a variety of textures. Often it is the texture of a vegetable they dislike, not the vegetable flavour. Create theme meals: a jungle meal, for example, or a meal from a particular country.Almost all children like sweets and to deny them will only cause arguments. Be sure to provide homemade raw sweet treats. Make fresh frozen treats from mashed watermelon, orange juice, or apple juice. Freeze some carob almond milk for “fudgey sicles.” Use fruit and dried fruit in place of candy.

Rather than forbidding kids to eat certain foods, explain to them why these are foods your family chooses to avoid. But don’t expect your children to be totally raw their entire lives. They’ll have friends, school lunches, and restaurants to tempt them with non-raw food, and they’ll want to try it. It’s not worth a big argument if your kids decide to eat unraw; in fact, you’re likely to turn them off the raw foods diet if you are maniacal about it. Just make sure your kids have healthy, raw food available at all times, so that they have a choice. When dealing with children and nutrition, humour and sincerity are the best approach. If you lay the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle early, your kids will return to eating healthy foods when they are old enough to make their own decisions.

BANANA RAMA SMOOTHIE
Great for young children.

1/2 cup water
1 ripe banana
1 tablespoon raw tahini

Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Blend and enjoy.
Makes 1 serving.

WINTER WALDORF SALAD

1 apple, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, soaked overnight, then dehydrated until crunchy, about 12 hours

Toss together all ingredients and serve.
Makes 2-4 servings.

HONEY LEMON DRESSING

This is a favorite with kids.

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup raw honey
1/4 teaspoon Celtic salt

Combine ingredients in a blender

CARROT GINGER SOUP
This soup is premier food and great for building lung strength.

1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1 tablespoon white miso
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 clove garlic
2 cups water

Place 3/4 cup of the carrots in a bowl. Combine the remaining carrots and the rest of the ingredients in a blender and pulse until they form a smooth mixture. Pour the blended ingredients over the carrots in the bowl and serve.
Makes 3 servings.

APPLESAUCE
Kids of all ages love this.

6 large apples, cored
Juice of 1 lemon
8 dates, pitted and soaked 20 minutes
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Puree all ingredients in food processor.
Makes 4 servings.

“BUTTERED NOODLES”
Simple summer squash pasta garnished with fine olive oil and spices makes a satisfying repast

4 cups zucchini “pasta” (zucchini cut into very thin strips)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Celtic salt
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well.
Makes 2-4 servings.

PRESTO PESTO

3 cups fresh basil leaves (washed, packed and leaves removed) (Can substitute cilantro, rosemary, oregano or stinging nettle.
5 cloves garlic
1-cup pine nuts or walnuts
3/4 cup washed chopped fresh parsley
1-cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Celtic salt

Purée everything in a blender. Can be served over spiralized zucchini or spread on flax crackers. Serves 4-6.

The Latest Health In High Heels is READY! (And other exciting updates!)

And hats off to Shayla The Great who put it all together for us this week! I loooove you Shayla! Check it out! Some of your best blog highlights and juicy news about Dr. T’s upcoming tour along the West Coast.

You can also find out how to order our SUPER DIVALICIOUS HOODIES!! Hmmm…

Finally, a team shirt! You can read the latest issue of Health In High Heels HERE!

I am bubbling with joy inside about a little somethin we have beein working on in the background. As I am writing this, we have a group of gorgeous divas reviewing our new… (HOLD YOUR HOSES, LADIES!)

…DIVA JINGLE!

I’m serious! Our own theme song! Can you believe it??!! I’m too excited about this. It’s really going to make you smile as soon as you hear it.  I can hardly wait until we get to show it off and I’ve been pressuring our musical team like mad to get something ready to show you. (Patience has never been my strong point. You may have noticed.) I just keep listening to it again and again and laughing like crazy! It’s GREAT! I know you’re going to love it!

In other news, I’ve been slaving myself to the 90 day Detox announcement and holy moley smackaroney it’s the coolest program we’ve ever done. While this blog lets me be my sparkly self, I have to be honest and let you know that the caliber of the program we are about to deliver is impressing even me. I would totally sign up for this program if I hadn’t thought of it myself! I just keep wondering if we’ll ever get to capture all the incredible information that Dr. T has to offer and every time I think we might, I get a resounding NO WAY!! He’s just a fountain of incredible information about health and wellness and I know you’re going to be impressed with what this program is offering. (And I’m going to be impressed with the fact that I finally launched it when it comes off the press!)

Ooooh, speaking of presses… the last time Dr. T was here, we hooked up with the great Josée Quenneville of Supreme Master TV and she recorded a mega episode of Dr. T in action! The camera crew was here until 2:00 am! (They were, by the way, some of the most AMAZING people I have ever met. They were SOoooo… I dunno… supremely mastered!??!) There was just that special “something” about them. Beautiful, beautiful people! Weeeell, we just found out that the show is going to air NEXT WEEK on January 20th! In North America, there are 2 ways to view the program:

1. via free to air satellite on Galaxy 19 at 97 degrees West
2. via live webstreaming online at www.SupremeMasterTV.com

We have even more good news, you know! The gorgeous Angela Elliott will be releasing some fantastic new ebooks next week! The Simple Gourmet and another winning book all about juices and cocktails. YUM!

Our brother site, Ecopolitan.com, will be releasing their FIRST EVER Recipe book! This is sooooo exciting, because it’s loaded with all the very best recipes from the Ecopolitan’s Restaurant. I mean, most restaurants would never give these recipes away! But this book is loaded with AMAZING, knock-out ecological raw food gourmet recipes.

You know what else is happening?! On February 21st, we’re hosting our first ever Raw Diva PAJAMA PARTY!! We’re renting a bed and breakfast all to ourselves and we’re going to spend the weekend making great food, watching sappy movies and enjoying each others’ company! Women of all ages, sizes, shapes and colors are coming and it’s going to be a BLAST! We promise to take lots of pictures!!

Dr. T is coming back to Montreal for Valentine’s Day (*blush*) and will be with us to give more lectures in the Montreal area after coming home from his West Coast Tour! There’s so much going on, Sunshine, I can hardly keep track of it myself.

We’re growing by leaps and bounds and it’s all because of YOU! So, thanks, Sugarplum. I sure appreciate you being here. Okay, back to the detox drawing board. Soon, Chica! Very soon the 90 Day Detox will be ready!!

Mmmmmmuah!

More excitement to come…

Tera